Main Idea & Supporting Details — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Turtles have hard shells. The shell protects them from danger. They can pull their head and legs inside. What is the main idea?
A) Turtles have legs.
B) Turtles are protected by their shells.
C) Turtles can swim.
D) Shells are hard.
All the details tell how a turtle's shell keeps it safe, so the main idea is that turtles are protected by their shells.
2. Ants work together in a colony. Some ants find food. Other ants build tunnels. The queen ant lays eggs. What is the main idea?
A) Ants eat food.
B) The queen ant is big.
C) Ants work together and each have a job.
D) Tunnels are underground.
The details show that each ant has a different job, so the main idea is that ants work together and each have a job.
3. Water can be a solid, liquid, or gas. Ice is solid water. Steam is water as a gas. What is the main idea?
A) Water is always cold.
B) Ice is frozen.
C) Steam is hot.
D) Water comes in three forms.
The passage describes three forms of water: solid, liquid, and gas.
4. Firefighters put out fires. They rescue people from burning buildings. They also teach families about fire safety. What is the main idea?
A) Firefighters only put out fires.
B) Fires are scary.
C) Firefighters help keep people safe in many ways.
D) Buildings can burn down.
The details show different ways firefighters help keep people safe.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. A turtle pulls its head inside its shell for protection.
A turtle's shell is its protective covering where it hides its head and legs.
2. In an ant colony, the queen ant lays all the eggs.
The queen ant is the one that lays all the eggs in the colony.
3. Water as a solid is called ice.
When water freezes and becomes a solid, it is called ice.
4. Firefighters teach families about fire safety.
Firefighters teach fire safety so families know how to stay safe.
5. The main idea is the most important point of a passage.
The main idea is the most important point the author wants the reader to understand.